KENPO GIRL

A few months ago, I was asked by MMA Wreckage to cover an MMA seminar in Los Angeles.

The seminar was hosted by the Paradise Warrior Retreat who traditionally brings in successful UFC fighters. The goal of the seminar is to allow the fighters to discuss and show guests some of their training techniques. ​This time they featured Muay Thai Specialists Valetina Shevchenko and her sister Antonina Shevchenko.

​Valentina Shevchenko has received quite a bit of publicity from her upcoming UFC title fight with Amanda Nunez, scheduled July 8th.

​The truth is, Valentina was a very successful fighter before her Mixed Martial Arts career.

She has held several kickboxing and Muay Thai Championships and is highly regarded as one of the best female Muay Thai fighters in the world. For her Mixed Martial Arts resume, she boasts a 2nd Dan and Master of Sports title in Taekwondo, a black belt in Judo, Master of Sports Muay Thai title, Master of Sports title in Boxing and finally a Master of Sports title in Kickboxing.​

Her sister, Antonina Shevchenko is no slouch either.

Antonina with her WKC belt.

​Antonina is a 3x IFMA Muay Thai Champion and recently won the WMC and Phoenix FC World Titles. In 2016, she was a 10x World Champion and was awarded Fighter of the Year by Awakening Muay Thai Awards and has been undefeated in her MMA career.

​A close correlation has formed between Muay Thai and MMA

Many MMA fighters either have experience in Muay Thai or have modeled their striking from Muay Thai. However, it is the Modern style of Muay Thai that is contributing to the popularity in MMA. Valentina explained the difference between Modern Muay Thai and Traditional Muay Thai.

She explained, “Modern Muay Thai is the practical use of Tradition Muay Thai. It’s about technique, traditional Muay Thai uses more straight techniques and more fixed stands. Not many combinations with hands, more one or two punches but every time very strong. The same with kicks, strong one low kick, middle kick or high kick. Good clinch and good elbows. Modern Muay Thai uses all the same, but in the same moment the fighter of Modern Muay Thai can have European boxing hands with many combinations, strong turning kicks which many use in taekwondo, the back fists, superman punches and more movements in the ring.”

Pretty much...

Muay Thai is not by any means a new age martial art.

Muay Thai can be traced back to the 16th Century. Essentially the exposure from MMA, kickboxing and training outside of Thailand has begun to modify Muay Thai. When I asked Valentina, whether she felt the popularity of MMA has affected the Muay Thai community?

She explained,“The Popularity of MMA is natural because MMA is a Universal Sport. Popularity of MMA develops from real kinds of Martial Arts such as Muay Thai, because Muay Thai is the best sport of stand-up sports. Many Athletes in MMA use Muay Thai successfully.”

Valentina and Antonina leading in a kicking exercise.

Unlike some systems that are cynical of non-indigenous practitioners...

Valentina reassures this does not apply to Muay Thai. Valentina was born and raised in the USSR but currently lives in Lima, Peru. I asked if she had ever been harassed about fighting in Muay Thai and not being Thai?

​Valentina says, “If the athlete has real technique of Muay Thai then there is no difference what kind of nationality the athlete is and what country he or she is from. Muay Thai is from Thailand but now Muay Thai is for the whole world. One world one muaythai.”

​Muay Thai has spread and come a long way since it was first created. ​

​ The International Federation of Muay Thai Amateur also known as the IFMA was formed in 1993 and oversees the amateur Muay Thai competitions in 128 countries. Only 20 years later, the International World Games Association would announce that Muay Thai would be part of the World Games 2017 in Wroclaw, Poland. ​

Yet there is still one controversy surrounding Muay Thai that has the community divided.

. The debate of whether children should be allowed to study, train and compete in Muay Thai. Some opposed such as the Child Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Centre, claim that Muay Thai style boxing like strikes and kickboxing style kicks to the head of young children could cause permanent brain damage or alter development in children. The Child Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Centre has urged the Muay Thai community to limit strikes to the head and in some circumstances prohibiting certain age groups from competing in full contact Muay Thai. ​I asked what her beliefs were on the children in Muay Thai situation?

She insists that,“Muay Thai has ancient traditions, including child fights and trainings. And it is justified and correct because little children can learn Muay Thai safely. For the little children, their beginning of combat activity passes like games, just like in nature..."

"Tigers do not wait until their cubs grow to teach them hunting, otherwise they will be hungry and die."

"And I think that is very cruel to children –to deprive them of the opportunity to learn fighting. Especially since now children can fight in good equipment and under the supervision of qualified trainers."​

Antonina teaching/coaching at the Paradise Warrior Retreat.

Valentina began her Martial Arts training at 5 years old. Her kickboxing career began at 12 years old when she knocked out her opponent that was almost twice her age. Needless to say, Valentina as a child was no stranger to Martial Arts or training.

​She went into further explanation,“When I just started to train in Taekwondo ITF, when competitions took place sometimes several hundred children (attended). In these years, we almost had not so good protection and had gloves thinner than MMA gloves now. But no serious injuries- maximum bruises. In that time, it was something to be proud of. And all these children grew up healthy and good people. They run, play and fight- it’s very natural for children. The more early you start to train and fight, the more better fighter in future."

I personally as a mother whose son competes in karate tournaments can say their safety is taken seriously. My son Jared is 5 years old and I distinctly remember when he inquired about sparring the first words out of my Sifu’s mouth was, “well time to order his equipment.”

It is articulative and responsible athletes and Martial Artist like Valentina and Antonina that help create a clear understanding to Martial Arts we may only be familiar with through entertainment.

As the MMA sport grows in popularity and exposes its audiences to different systems and styles of Martial Arts, we must remember the different Martial Arts exhibited are being applied in a sports and entertainment environment. We should remember these Martial Arts have deep roots in cultures and civilizations not only as combative training but to help practitioners find an inner strength and inner growth.

Valentina has developed an inner strength that pushes her to train and almost perfect her technique in her various disciplines. It is this dedication and tenacity that Valentina has clearly based her MMA and Muay Thai career on.

Me getting to meet and talk with Valentina, Antonina and their coach Pavel.

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Jesalyn Mae Harper

Hello my name is Jesalyn. I'm a divorced single mom and a karate addict...I am currently a 1st Brown belt in American Kenpo and a Junior Instructor at Double Dragon Kenpo Karate under JR Diaz, I am part of the Parker/Planas Lineage and study Karbaroan Eskrima with JR Diaz, under Guro Ed Planas